Articles Tagged Microphone World

Courtesy of Universal Audio. When most people think of stereo recording, the first thing that comes to mind is a matched pair of microphones, arranged in a coincident (XY) pattern. It makes sense, of course, since that’s the closest way to replicate a real pair of human ears. But while XY microphone recording is the most obvious method, it’s not the only game in town. The Mid-Side (MS) microphone technique sounds a bit more complex, but it offers some…
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Article provided by Home Studio Corner. Do you ever revel in someone else’s mistakes? Ever learn something from them? Yeah, me too. Here’s a list of some of my “best” mistakes I’ve made when it comes to using mics. ’Tis both enjoyable (and educational): 1. I almost blew up a $1,600 ribbon mic because I plugged it into a preamp with phantom power already on. (Turns out that’s a bit of a myth, but I freaked for a while.)…
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Both analog and digital mixing consoles have an input gain control ahead of the channel fader. The gain control’s job is to scale the input signal to an appropriate level. It’s setting is source-dependent, which means that proper setting requires a sound check that includes the vocalist and their respective microphone. There are three variables in play: 1. Talker level 2. Microphone sensitivity 3. Talker-to-microphone distance It’s not always possible to set the input gain in advance, but there…
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Suppose you’re recording a jazz session, close-miking a drum kit and a piano at the same time (Figure 1, below). When soloing the drum mics, you hear a close, clear sound. But when you mix in the piano mic, that nice, tight drum sound degrades into a distant, muddy sound. The problem is happening because the drum sound leaked into the piano mic, which picked up a distant drum sound from across the room. It’s as if the piano mic…
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The majority of old microphones in my collection are for display, largely because they’re, well, old. Some require repair, others need an unusual connector or cable assembly to function. But the AKG D202E is different. It’s not in my working mic locker but I’ve employed it several times on stage, and may do so again, even though it’s the oldest AKG mic in my set. The D202E is a cardioid dynamic handheld model with a twist—it employs two separate diaphragms,…
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This article is provided by Behind The Mixer. I created a frog. It wasn’t intentional. Naturally, I’m not talking about a real frog but just look at that photo to the left! You’ll never read a mixing book that says, “Make the snare’s EQ curve look like a frog in water.” If you do, immediately stop reading the book. Seriously, when it comes to snare mixing, the last place you want to be is behind the mixer. There are…
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As the world around us increasingly embraces the benefits of wireless technology across multiple industries, demand for radio frequency (RF) spectrum has never been greater, and it continues to grow. In the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is charged with making it all work. In 2012, Congress passed the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, part of which authorized the FCC to conduct a voluntary ”Incentive Auction” among over-the air television broadcast licensees, intended to release spectrum…
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Working with wireless systems can be tricky business. Take our quiz to see how your RF knowledge stacks up! By the way, some of these questions may have more than one correct answer. 1. True or False: UHF has better audio performance than VHF. 2. True or False: There are more than five viable methods of diversity reception. 3. What are the advantages of analog wireless systems? A. Long range with graceful signal decay B. Analog…
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In today’s ever-more-crowded RF environment, wireless system users need every advantage they can get to make sure their show comes off without a hit. While wireless frequency coordination is not a new thing, I find that many in pro audio are unaware of it. This article will explain what it is and what it does, and take you through some scenarios to show how you can benefit from it. Background What’s the core issue? Wireless systems, specifically wireless transmitters, interact…
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Getting a little bored with the same old “tried-and-true” microphones and techniques? Let’s have some fun with fresh approaches that are off the beaten path. Vocals To create a differential (noise-canceling) mic, tape two identical omni mics together, one over the other, separated by a block of wood (Figure 1). Mix both mics at equal levels but with one mic switched in opposite polarity. Have the performer sing close to the top mic. Many years ago, the Grateful Dead used…
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